Tractor mounting attachment for corn pickers



May 16, 1950 A. HARDY ETAL TRACTOR MOUNTING ATTACHMENT FOR CORN PICKERS4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 25, 1945 May 16, 1950 A. HARDY ETAL TRACTORMOUNTING ATTACHMENT FOR CORN PICKERS "Filed May 25, 1945 4 Sheets-Shqet2 fwrzd.

y 1950 L. A. HARDY ETAL 2,507,711

TRACTOR MOUNTING ATTACHMENT FOR CORN PICKERS Filed May 25, 1945 4Sheets-Sheet s May 16, 1950 HARDY ETAL 2,507,711

TRACTOR MOUNTING ATTACHMENT FOR CORN PICKERS Filed May 25, 1945 4Sheets-Sheet 4 E as 7 ma iz darzw Patented May 16, 1950 UNITED STATESOFFICE TRACTOR MO G. non CQRN PIcnERs Application May 25, 1945,SerialNo. 595,788

11 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a new nd improved tractor-mounted agriculturalimplement and has for one of its principal objects the provision ofmeans for quickly attaching the implement to a farm tractor.

An important object of this invention is to provide a quickly attachableand detachable harvesting unit for a tractor with a minimum amount ofmanual exertion and a minimum amount of power-lifting devices.

Heretofore, corn harvesters have been cumbersome machines which requiredconsiderable time in attaching to a tractor. The ordinary farmer has butone tractor, and this tractor must be used to operate a number of farmimplements and machines, and hence it is imperative that the larger farmmachines be readily removable or attachable to the tractor. Further, intimes of labor shortage, such as exist at the present time, the farmerdoes not have available the manpower necessary to assemble an enormouscorn picker onto a tractor unless the manufacturers of these deviceshave provided means whereby a minimum number of persons may mount thepicker on the tractor. It is, therefore, an object of the present deviceto provide a tractor with suitable mounting attachments to cooperatewith mounting attachments on a corn picking unit so that one man aloneor at the most two men can mount the large corn picking unit to a fixedoperating position on the tractor without the expenditure of any greateffort.

A further important object of this invention is to provide aquick-attachable corn picker on a tractor and to permit pivotaladjustment of the picking unit with respect to the tractor by means of apower-operating tractor-lifting device.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a two-rowcorn picking unit capable of standing in upright position and whereby atractor of the tricycle type having a narrow longitudinal body portionand wide spread rear trac tion wheels may be driven forwardly betweensaid picking units and having cooperative means associated with both thetractor and the corn picking units to effect a raising of the pickerwith respect to the tractor and a locking of the same in operativeposition thereon.

The present application contains a tractor with corn picking unitsquickly attachable thereto, but this device forms only a part of anentire corn harvester. The tractor employed for concurrent attachment ofboth picking units and treating units is completely equipped withattaching devices. to facilitate easy mounting of the picker andtreating units respectively.

Qther and further important objects of this invention will becomeapparent from the disclosures in the following specification andaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevationalview oi a tractormounted corn harvestershowing the cor-n picking units of this invention attached to thetractor;

Figure 2 is a perspective view in larger scale than that of Figure 1 ofthe pair of corn picking and gathering units shown in dismountedposition from the tractor and viewed from a position rearwardly of thedevice;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the tractor,

-. with one wheel removed, to which the corn picking units are attachedand shown on a scale 'sub stantially the same as that of Figure 2-;

Figure i is a perspective view of the tractormounted corn picker of;this invention viewed substantially from the front and on a scale largerthan that of Figure 1- but smaller than that of; Figures 2 and 3;

Figure 5 is a plan view detail of the tractorpower lifting mechanism ofthis invention shown on a scale somewhat larger than that of Figure 1;-

Figure 6 is an end View detail of a port-ion oithe device as shown inFigure 5 and shown on a larger scale than that ci -"Figure 5;

Figure 7- is a side view detail of a leglocking mechanism of the cornpicker as shown in Figure 2 and in slightly larger scale; and

Figure 8 is an end view of the leg locking mechanism as shown in Figure7.

As shown in the drawings, the reference numeral I 53; indicatesgenerally a, farm tractor having a longitudinally extending narrow bodyportion It having a front rolling support having dirigible wheels I2positioned centrally of said longitudinal body portion H. The rear endof the narrow bod-y pbr-tion is provided with outwardlyextenpl-irig'transverse axles l3 around which are mounted axle; housings hi. At theouter ends oi the axles i3, and spaced from the narrow body portion H,are attached large treetion wheels l5. lI-he tractor is adapted to havenormal forward operation with the dirigible wheels t the front and thetractor wheels at the rear.

Vertically positioned angle bars It are secured with one face leabutting the rear ofeach axle housing 14. A U-shaped draw-bar I1, havinga transverse rear portionl8 positioned rearwardly of the tractor and legmembers l9 and 29- extending forwardly toward. the. tractor, is attachedto the lower ends of the angle bars I15 by means of the small angles 2which are boltecl'to both the draw-bar II and the vertically positionedangle bars I6. Supporting members in the form of angle bars 22 and 23are rigidly secured to the draw-bar legs i9 and 20, respectively, andextend rearwardly beyond the transverse portion I8 of the draw-bar II.Vertical supporting members 24 and 25 extend upwardly from the supportinmembers 22 and 23, respectively, and with the aid of brace members '26and 21 the upper ends of these vertical support members 24 and 25 eachcarry alined but spaced apart transverse horizontal pipe sections 28 and29. These pipe sections 23 and 23 extend laterally outwardly from theupper end of each vertical support 24 and 25, respectively, and arerigidly connected to their respective supports. Connecting rods I56 andII having turnbuckles I52 and I53 respectively join the members 24 andto the vertical members i6, and a second pair of connecting rods I54 andI55 also equipped with turnbuckles I58 and I51 extend between thevertical members I3 and the rearwardly extending members 22 and 23.These rods which may be tightened or loosened as desired act to make themounting structure relatively rigid.

As best shown in Figure 1, a transversely positioned angle bar bracket38 is secured by cap screws 3! to each of said axle housings I4.Vertical bracket members 32 extend upwardly from the transverse anglebrackets and are adapted to support the forward ends of a pair of trackstructures 33 and 34. Each track structure 33 and 34 is secured to theupper end of the vertical support members 32 at 35 and extends from apoint forwardly of the rear tractor axle housings I4 rearwardly over andbeyond the axle housings. Reinforcing members I58 and I59 extend beneathand in a horizontal position between the ends of the track and aid inthe rigid support of the tracks. lhe track structures 33 and 34 have ahigh point at 36 and 31, respectively, which is positioned slightly tothe rear of the axle housings, and thereupon the track structures dependdownwardly and rearwardly to their rear end connections to the brackets50 and 5| which are in turn connected to the pipes '28 and 29,respectively. These track structures have a relatively wide forwardportion at 38 and 39 and decrease in width as they extend rearwardly.The tracks 33 and 34 are equipped with upwardly extending side flanges40, M and 42, 43. The central portion of the track structures 33 and 34is equipped with central ridges 44 and 45. The side flanges and theridges act to strengthen the track structures and to further act aspositive guide means for cooperative roller members 46 and 41 which forma part of the corn gathering and picking units 48 and 49. Upwardlyextending bracket members 50 and 5| from the pipe sections 28 and 29 reequipped with forwardly projecting openfaced sockets 52 and 53,respectively. These upwardly extending brackets 50 and 5| are rigidlysecured to the pipe members 28 and 29 at 54 and 55. Additional socketstructures 56 and 5! are mounted on the transverse pipe sections 28 and29 spaced laterally outwardly from the sockets 52 and 53. Theselast-named socket structures are formed with upwardly extendinglaterally spaced plate members 58, 59 and 60, 3|. Each of these socketstructures has a spacer 62 and 63,

respectively, positioned at a point spaced upwardly from the pipesections 28 and 29 and having upwardly opening notches 64 and 65. Eachpair of plates 58, 59 and 68, 6| are cut with forwardly opening sockets56, 61, 68, and 69 which are in ahnement with the forwardly openingsockets 52 and 53 positioned at the rear end of the track structures 33and 34.

The forward part of the tractor body II is equipped with downwardly andrearwardly extending brackets II) on each side thereof. One of thebrackets I3 is shown in detail in Figure 6 and the entire heightadjusting mechanism is shown in Figure 5. The lower ends of thesebrackets have transversely alined openings II through which a tubularpipe member I2 is journally rotatable. Washer members I3 are fitted overthe ends of the pipe member 12, and cotter pins 74 extending through thepipe 12 are adapted to hold the washer I3 in position against thebrackets 10 and prevent endwise movement of the pipe I2. A pair oftransversely spaced lifting arms I5 are rigidly connected to the pipe I2between the depending brackets In. These lifting arms I5 extendrearwardly and slightly downwardly prior to the corn picker beingmounted on the tractor. Adjacent each lifting arm I5 and positioned atsubstantially right angles thereto are the spaced apart upwardly andrearwardly extending lever arms '16 rigidly connected to the pipe I2. Ayoke member TI, having forwardly extending arms I8 pivotally attached tothe upper ends of the spaced lever arms i3, is adapted to bereciprocated by the piston E9 of an hydraulic cylinder 89 pivotallyattached to the bracket 8I in a substantially central location on theunder side of the tractor chassis It. The piston I9 is rigidly connectedto the central portion of the yoke member I! at 82. The hydrauliccylinder is actuated by fluid under pressure from the tractor I0 throughthe flexible pipe or hose member 83. A valve 84 is shown in position inthe conduit 83 between the tractor fluid supply and the hydrauliccylinder 88. This valve 84 is equipped with an end lever 85 which uponopening will effect an extension of the piston I9 and a correspondingrearward swinging of the lever arms I6 through the action of the yokearms I8. Inasmuch as both the lever arms I6 and the lifting arms 15 arerigidly attached to the pipe I2, the lifting arms I5 will swing in anarcuate raising movement about the pipe ID as an axis.

The corn picking units, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, areequipped with cooperative elements for ready attachment to thetractorattaching elements heretofore described. The corn picking unitscomprise a pair of frame structures, previously designated as 48 and 49,which extend forwardly and downwardly to form gathering points 86 and81, respectively. Positioned centrally between the picking units is acenter divider or stalk pick-up means I43 which is journaled on thetractor wheels I2. The corn picking frame structures have horizontallyrearwardly extending portions 88 and 89 from a position at the upper endof the first-named downwardly and forwardly extending portions. Each ofthe gathering points 86 and 81 is equipped with a stalk-cuttingmechanism in the form of a reciprocating cutter bar I38. These gatheringpoints 86 and 81 further include stalk conveying chains I39 andlongitudinal conveyors I40 for moving the stalks rearwardly intotransversely extending snapping rolls MI and I42 shown in Figure 1. Therear ends of the gathering units 48 and 49, namely, 88 and 89, housestalk shredding means 96 and SI. The driving means for the elements notshown and the stalk shredding means 90 and 9| are taken from the powertake- 5 0.11 92; of the-tractorshown inFisnr a T driv ing connectionbetween this power take-01f shaft 925.. between the tractor I and theelementssof the;ga-thering units is not shown inasmuch as it dpes notforma part of this invention.

The; front support and mounting structure for the gathering units 48 and49includes a transverse pipe 93extending across both units beneath the.forwardgathering points 86 and 81. This transverse; pipe 93 acts to tiethe gathering units Weather. and yet permits passage: of thetractortherebetween. Bearing brackets. 94 and 95 supp0rtithepipe193 to theunderside of the gathering point 88, and bearing brackets .98 and 91,aflixed tmtheunder side of the gatheringpoint 81; are adaptedto completethe journaling support of the shaft 93. These bearing brackets areshiftable. alongthe length. of the pipe;93 to accommodate various spacedcorn rows. The pipe member 9.3wdoes not run axially across between thegather.- ing-points 86 and 8! but is rather offset by a pair ofcrankarms 98 and 99 and a transverse pipe member I99 extending betweenthecrank arms 98:;and-99. Locking arms I9I and I82 are rigidly connected bywelding, or the like, to the outer endsof the transverse pipe member 93.Each ofrthese arms IOI and I92 has a hole I93shown in detail in Figure'7. A manually swingable lock.- ing-arm I95 is flexibly mounted by meansof the spring I44 shown in Figure .8 to the gathering unit 48 at I99 andhas a pair of inwardly projecting pins I94 and IN either of which isengageablewith the hole I3 in the iocking plate I01. When the pin I9!engages the hole I03, thebail-liiie member consisting of the pipeextension I99 across the crank arms-98 and 99 will engage the ground asshown in Figure 2 of the drawing. In this position, the front wheels I2of the tractor are permitted to ride directly over the pipe I99 so thatthe narrow longitudinal body portion II of the tractor I9 would bepositioned between the gathering units 48 and 49 in thenianner such asshown in Figure 1 of the drawings,

During the mounting operation, it has been founddesirable to supplyadditional groundengaging elements for the gathering points 89 and 81:in order to more adequately stabilize the picking units. Therefore,supporting legs I98 and-I89, having roughened feet portions III? andIII, respectively, are axially slidable inwardly along-the length of thepipe member 93 against the action of springs 24B and I4? and are thenrotatable on thepipe. Each of the upper sleevelikeends H2 and H3 of theleg members I98 and I99; respectively; is equipped with U-shapedz-bracket members H4 and i I5 fixed at some predetermined spaced apartangle. These retractible legs I88 and I99, as shown in Figure 2, are inground-engaging position, and the U-shaped bracket I I5 which forms aunitary part thereof engages. a tongue-lii-ze extension H8 which isrigidly attached to the under side of the gathering-units. 48.;and E9 atHi. When it is desired tograise these legsout of ground-engaging.position, the legs I98 and I99 are slid axially along therpipe-93against the action of the springs J46 and I4! and rotated so that theU-shaped bracket I I6 is in alinement with the tongue portion ,I I6onthe under side of the gathering units, and then a reverse axialsliding of the legs I98 or I99 caused by the force of the springs I48and I4! will cause an engagement of the-tongue .II-:wi-th the U-shapedbracket Iii, and thereuponzthelegs I98 and I09 will be held upwardly 6..from a positi With res to the groun These: legs are used to" hold thepicking unit :stationarvd lr ng mo ntin and :s ismoun ineen h tractor.

After the. tractor has beendriven into positi nbetween the a h r n unitand 4. t lock armxlllil has its projection I91 removed from theho e- M3i h oclrin plate I', afte h h the-pipe 3 :may be-r ta ecl iii-a c e lswidi ection indicated. by the arrow I45, as. shown in Figure '7,untilsuchtime as thepin fl cemes into alinement with the ho e- 3 whreupon the arm I is forced inwardly by thespring; I44 so; that the pinprojection I84 maintains the locking plate IOI non rotatable. Theselast.- named positions are shown in dashed lines": in Figure 7. In thisposition of the-pipe- 93; 1' he offsetpo t on IOII extends u wa d y ndsli htly forwardly, as showninFigure.Land is adapted toilie-ontheliiting arms "I5 w'hichare directly associated with the hydraulicallyoperatedpistpn and cylinder 19 and .89, respectively. At point of'themounting procedure,- it is desirable that the supporting legs I 0.8 andIDS-be shifted axially .of their carrying shafts and locked.- in their.uppermost positions by means of the tongues I I9 engaging 'the-U.-shapedbrackets! I4.

When the gathering units 48. and 49' are-dis-.- mounted from thetractor,, they; are: supported in. an upright position by the-forwardlyposi tioned supporting legs .IIlB'and lfliland-groundiengaging rearsupports I IE and I I9 =foreach of the units 48 and .49, respectively.Each ,of these rear supports includes transverselyspaced legs I28, I2!and. I22; I23;which are pivotally connected in pairs to the undersideof: the hori:- zontal port-ions 88 and. .89 of the gatheringi'units 98and 49' on shafts I29 and IZZ Springs I24 and I25 are adapted :to urgethe ground-engaging supports I I 8*and 1 I9 rearwardly. Telescopic'stopmembers I28 and I 2-! are'positioned between the legs I20 and I23 andthe under side .of' the gathering units 48 and 49, respectively. Theseground-engaging supports I I8 and I I9 havetheir duallegs I29, I2I andI22; I2-3 joined by transverse feet members I28 and I29, respectively.The attachment of thetelescopic units I291 and I2? at I3I1Jand i3! tothe under side of'the gathering units 48- and 49 areat points-rear.-wardly' of the pivotal attachment of the leg member I20, I21, I22, andI23. When thegathering units 48 and 49 are being mounted on the tractorI9, the rear support members II8 and I I9 are automatically swungforwardly about their pivotal. connections on the underside of thehorizontal portions 88and89. of the gathering units and 49 by thetractor axle I3" a-nd axle housing :I 4. During-this operationithetelescopic members 424 and 'I28'1a1'e fullyextended; -In' this positionof the rear legs, the front positioned legs II 88' and 'I 99 are adaptedto support the trans-s versely extending feet I28 and. I29 of: the. rearlegs as shown in Figure 1. In ordenthatitheirear supporting leg membersH8. and IIQnEmay be swungv forwardly, the aetionzof the: springs I24 andI25 must be overcome and" the telescopic st p, members IZIS andI21arereadily'extensible; The-function of these telescopic stop menrbersis tovmievent th p i gs 24 ndflfi m p llin the rear supports. I I8 and II9 -.up;wardly to. the ar and u of emunmensa ing;positi n: A w-n- Fie ra -e l scopiestep m mb rs .i'ZG and .IZI-actas rigid links and..flrmiy:su-pport e-mem ers: I 8 anclll 9 =thei d wnward y and rea wadlvncl n dp s tions During removal of the tractor from the corn pickingunits, the front legs IE8 and I09 are dropped to ground-engagingposition such as shown in Figure 2. It is apparent that the rear legswill drop and will be pulled rearwardly by the springs I24 and I25. Thelegs H8 and H9 will then rest against the rear axle housing I4 of thetractor. As the tractor is backed out of position with respect to thecorn picker the rear legs will swing back as the removal of the axlehousing I4 permits. The rear limiting position of the legs will, ofcourse, be reached when the telescopic units I25 and I2"! have reachedtheir collapsed position. At this time, the picker is capable ofstanding on its own legs.

The rear mounting structure includes transversely spaced pairs ofbrackets I32 and I33 depending from a forward part of the horizontalportions 88 and 89 of the gathering units. The pairs of brackets I32 andgrooved rollers 45 and 41, respectively. These grooved rollers areadapted to engage or slide upon the track members 33 and 34 positionedupon the tractor ID. The side flanges 43, AI and 42, 43 and the ridgecenters 44 and 45 maintain these rollers 46 and 4! in a central positionon the tracks 33 and 34. The forwardly opening sockets 52 and 53 areadapted to receive the central grooves I34 and I35 of the rollers 43 and41. The forward portions 38 and 39 of the tracks 33 and 34 are somewhatlower than the rear portions, and hence when the tractor is driven intothe standing gathering units, as shown in Figure 2, the rollers 46 and4'! ride upwardly on the tracks 33 and 34 and thereupon the gatheringunits are lifted onto the tractor. Additional pairs of brackets I36 andI3! are spaced outwardly but in axial alinement with the brackets I32and I33. Each of these outwardly spaced pairs of brackets supportT-bolts I48 and !49 having their head portions pivoted between thesedepending brackets I38 and I3! which are adapted to fit into theforwardly opening sockets 36, 6?, and 68, 59. When the rollers 46 and 41are within the sockets 52 and 53 and the T-bolt heads are within theouter sockets, the T-bolts I 48 and I49 are swung into the lockingnotches 64 and 35 provided on the socket structures 55 and 51. It isquite evident that the gathering units 48 and 49 are pivotally mountedas an entire unit in axial alinement with the T-bolt heads I48 and I49and the grooved rollers 46 and B], and hence the lifting of thegathering points 86 and 3! by a raising of the lifting arm 15 byactuation of the hydraulic cylinder 80 will efiect a tilting of thegathering units about the axial hinge through the rollers 46 and 41.

It is apparent that herein is provided a novel attachment for a cornpicking unit to a tractor which has been shown in a preferredembodiment,

and applicants intend that the claims of their invention shall includeall similar constructions and modifications coming within the scope ofthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a tractor having a narrow longitudinally extending body supportedat its front by a dlrigible wheel support and at its rear by widelyspaced traction wheels, longitudinally extending fixed track membersmounted on said tractor between the traction wheels and the body, saidtrack members inclined downwardly and forwardly and downwardly andrearwardly to a lesser extent, an implement having guide mountingrollers on its under side adapted to ride up the inclined track membersand thence down the rear incline, and

I33 each support means for holding said rollers in fixed pivotalrelationship with said track.

- 2. In a tractor having a narrow longitudinally extending bodysupported at its front by a dirigible wheel support and at its rear bywidely spaced traction wheels, longitudinally extending fixed trackmembers mounted on said tractor between the traction wheels and thebody, said track members inclined downwardly and forwardly anddownwardly and rearwardly to a lesser extent, and a harvester havingguide mounting rollers on its under side adapted to ride up the inclinedtrack members and thence down the rear incline, and means for holdingsaid rollers in fixed pivotal relationship with said track, said meansincluding a forwardly open socket at the rear end of each track.

3. In a tractor having a narrow longitudinally extending body supportedat its front by a dirigible wheel support and at its rear by widelyspaced traction wheels, longitudinally extending fixed track membersmounted on said tractor between the traction wheels and the body, saidtrack members inclined downwardly and forwardly and downwardly andrearwardly to a lesser extent, and an implement having guide mountingrollers on its under side adapted to ride up the inclined track membersand thence down the rear incline, means for holding said rollers infixed relationship with said track, said means including a forwardlyopen socket at the rear end of each track, and auxiliary sockets spacedoutwardly from but in axial alinement with the sockets at the end ofeach track, hinged bolts depending from said implement adapted to swinginto said outwardly spaced sockets, whereby the implement is held tosaid tractor.

4. A tractor having structural means thereon adapted to receive aharvester, said structural means including a fixed track member inclinedupwardly and rearwardly and thence downwardly and terminating in asocket, and guide rollers on the harvester adapted to ride up theinclined track on the tractor and down into the sockets at the rear endof the track.

5. A tractor having structural means thereon adapted to receive animplement, said structural means including a fixed track member inclinedupwardly and rearwardly and thence downwardly and terminating in asocket substantially at the rear of the tractor, and guide rollers onthe rear portion of the implement adapted to ride up the inclined trackon the tractor and down into the sockets at the rear end of the track.

6. A tractor having structural means thereon adapted to receive a cornpicker, said structural means including a fixed track member inclinedupwardly and rearwardly and thence downwardly and terminating in asocket at the rear of the tractor, guide rollers on the rear of the cornpicker adapted to ride up the inclined track on the tractor and downinto the sockets at the rear end of the track, and power lift armspositioned forwardly on the tractor and adapted to contact portions ofthe corn picker at the forward end thereof.

'7. For a longitudinally extending corn picking unit adapted to beattached to a tractor, pivotal attaching means provided near the rear ofsaid unit, and a transverse pipe positioned across and beneath the frontof said unit, comprising retractible leg members on the front and rearof said unit for holding the corn picking unit in a raised positionprior to attachment on a trac- 75 tor, the retractible legs on the frontof the unit being hingedly journaled on said transverse pipe, means forlocking said front legs in a down or ground-engaging position and in anup position, said means including a pair of U-shaped bracket membersangularly spaced on the front retractible legs, and a tongue dependingfrom said corn picking unit and adapted to engage either of said U-shaped bracket members.

8. For a longitudinally extending corn picking unit adapted to beattached to a tractor, pivotal attaching means provided near the rear ofsaid unit, and a transverse pipe positioned across and beneath the frontof said unit, comprising retractible leg members on the front and rearof unit for holding the corn picking unit in a raised position prior toattachment on a tractor, the retractible legs on the front of the unitbeing hingedly journa-led on said transverse pipe, means for lockingsaid front legs in a down or ground-engaging position and in an upposition, said means including a pair of U-shaped bracket membersangularly spaced on the front retractible legs, a tongue depending fromsaid corn picking unit and adapted to engage either of said U- hapedbracket members, said front legs being slidable along said transversepipe, and spring means for resisting sliding movement of said legs,whereby shifting of said legs from one U-shaped bracket engagement toengagement of the other requires a compression of said spring means.

9. For a longitudinally extending corn picker having a pair of spacedunits adapted to be attached to a tractor having a narrow longitudinallyextending body and a narrow front wheel support, said units being spacedapart a distance greater than the width of said body, pivotal attachingmeans provided near the rear of said units, and a transverse memberconnected across and extending beneath the front of said units,comprising retractible leg members on the rear of said units for holdingthe corn picking unit in a raised position prior to attachment on atractor, said transverse member having a bail-like central portion, andmeans for locking said baillike portion in a ground-engaging positionfor passage thereover by front wheels of a tractor during attachment ofthe picker and in an up position for engagement by tractor attachedmeans.

10. For a longitudinally extending corn picker having a pair of spacedunits adapted to be attached to a tractor, pivotal attaching meansprovided near the rear of said units, a transverse member connectedacross and extending beneath the front of said units, comprisingretractible leg members on the front and rear of said units for holdingthe corn picking unit in a raised position prior to attachment on atractor, the retractible legs on the front of the units being journaledon said transverse member, said transverse memher having a hail-likecentral portion, and means for locking said bail-like portion in aground-engaging position for passage thereover by front wheels of atractor and in an up position for engagement by tractor attached liftarms.

11. For a longitudinally extending corn picking unit adapted to beattached to a tractor, pivotal attaching means provided near the rear ofsaid unit, a transverse pipe positioned across and beneath the front oisaid unit, comprising retractible leg members on the front and rear ofsaid unit for holding the corn picking unit in a raised position priorto attachment on a tractor, the retractible legs on the front of theunit being journaled on said transverse pipe, said transverse pipehaving a bail-like central portion, means for locking said bail-likeportion in a ground-engaging position for passage thereover by frontwheels of a tractor and in an up position for engagement by tractorpower lift arms, said means including an arm pivoted for rotationalmovement to the side of the unit and having locking pins thereon, and anarm fixed to an outer end of said transverse pipe and having a holetherein, one of said locking pins adapted to engage the hcle when thebail-like portion is in its ground-engaging position, and another ofsaid locking pins engaging the hole when the baillike portion is in itsup position.

LLOYD A. HARDY. ARTHUR H. KELLER. JOHN L. AASLAND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,943,284 Binau Jan. 16, 19342,259,892 Hyman Oct. 21, 1941 2,259,893 Hyman Oct. 21, 1941 2,376,539Hitchcock May 22, 1945 2,376,541 Johnson et al May 22, 1945 2,401,183P001 et a1. May 28, 1946

